In a Single Moment
by Recalled to Life
Summary: How quickly things can change between people... TyZula one-shot at the Boiling Rock. SHOUJO-AI WARNING


**Author's Note**: Because nothing says Christmas quite like yuri. Happy Holidays.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Avatar.

* * *

"The thing I don't understand is why. Why would you do it? You know the consequences."

"I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you."

Ty Lee swallowed hard. It had finally come to this. Mai had betrayed them and now Azula would make sure that she paid the price. Azula… Mai… Azula… How had it come to this? Years of friendship down the drain in a single moment.

* * *

"Royal Fire Academy for Girls?" Ty Lee gasped as she walked to the boat that would take her away. "Sounds kinda scary…"

"You always think things sound scary," one of her six sisters laughed. "You big crybaby…"

Ty Lee whimpered. She wasn't sure which of her sisters it was. They all looked alike, they all sounded alike, and, thanks to their parents, they all dressed alike. Fancy hairstyles, pretty red dresses, Ty Lee wished she had the guts to tell her parents that she hated it. But alas, she was five years old, going to school for the first time. A boarding school on top of it, so there was no going home. She was assigned a room with two of her sisters, at the request of her parents. Perhaps she would at least make friends in some of her classes…

Still, that might have been too much to ask. As she stepped on board to go to the Academy, she silently resigned herself to a few years of misery.

"This way to your room, girls," the head girl led Ty Lee, two of her sisters, and three other girls down a hallway. One of the other girls walked with her arms crossed, pouting about something. Ty Lee secretly wished she would cheer up. Things couldn't be that bad. Her parents weren't trying to steal her individuality, were they? Then again, maybe they were… Maybe things were that bad… She crossed her arms and sighed in imitation of the gloomy girl.

"NO!" someone shrieked from one of the rooms. "I do NOT want these two as my roommates!"

A girl of Ty Lee's age stormed out of one of the rooms, followed by an older woman.

"But Princess Azula!" the woman tried to reason with the young girl (a difficult task). "You must have two roommates! It's one of the rules!"

"Fine!" Azula stamped her foot. "But I'll choose my own roommates!" She turned to the group of girls. "I'll take… this one," she grabbed the pouting girl by the wrist. "And… her," she did the same to Ty Lee. "I'll share my room with them. What are your names? Your princess commands you!"

"Mai," the other girl huffed.

"T-Ty Lee!" she was glad to have been picked out of a crowd for anything.

Azula was really the first friend Ty Lee ever had. They did what she supposed normal girls did together: did each other's hair, borrowed each other's clothes… Mai didn't participate so much. Still, at Fire Academy, the three girls forged a bond that they thought would last forever.

* * *

Time passed, and Mai met Azula's brother, Zuko. The blushing and the puppy eyes began almost instantly.

"Aw, love at first sight!" Ty Lee cooed one night, when all three were in Azula's bedroom. "So cute!"

"Ty Lee…" Mai groaned. "I'm not _in love_ with Zuko… He's just… kinda… sorta…"

"Cute?" Ty Lee suggested.

"Yeah…" Mai sighed. "Cute…"

"Meh," Azula shrugged. "All this love stuff is making me feel sick."

She slid off of her bed and stomped out of the room.

* * *

"Hey, Azula!" Ty Lee called. "What's wrong?" The Royal Palace was a big place with plenty of places to hide, so she hadn't seen the princess in days.

"Nothing," Azula huffed. "Just… Look at them! Look at the way Mai and Zuko look at each other! What on Earth is she thinking? He's my _brother_!"

"Well…" Ty Lee hesitated for a moment. "You can't really blame her just for liking your brother. She just… does."

Azula sighed deeply, "I guess you're right…" She pulled Ty Lee into a tight embrace. Ty Lee felt herself turn red. She could have sworn she felt like she was going to throw up. Mai had confided in her once how she really felt around Zuko. Ty Lee couldn't help but wonder if it was odd to feel that way about Azula.

* * *

Ty Lee was twelve when she decided that she couldn't take it anymore, that she had to run away if she was going to preserve her sanity. She wrote a note explaining her reasons to her parents and sisters, and apologizing to Azula and Mai, her only true friends. She was at the borders of the capital when-

"Ty Lee!" Azula shouted. "Where are you going?"

"I'm not sure," Ty Lee admitted as she allowed Azula to catch up to her. "Just not here."

"Why?" Azula suddenly grew cold. She grabbed hold of Ty Lee, "Why are you leaving?"

"I just… have to," Ty Lee felt her face warm up. "I'm sorry, Azula, it has nothing to do with…"

"No!" Azula screamed. "You can't leave! You can't!"

"But I-" Ty Lee would never finish that sentence. Azula pulled her closer and kissed her sweetly, passionately.

"You can't leave…" Azula begged. "Please…"

Ty Lee lowered her head, "I… I'll never forget you, Azula."

It was two years before the two girls saw each other again.

* * *

"Ty Lee, could that possibly be you?"

"Azula!"

Two years since Ty Lee left, two years since they kissed. Ty Lee immediately pulled out of her pose and hugged Azula.

"It's so good to see you!"

Two years, and the lovers were reunited. Properly lovers this time.

* * *

"What was with you tonight?" Ty Lee sighed. Mai and Zuko had gone for a romantic walk on the shores of Ember Island, so she and Azula were free to talk and keep their secret from them. "You got pretty close to that Chan boy, and the way you were looking at the boys… It wasn't like you."

"What was with me?" Azula scoffed. "What was with _you_? The way _you_ were smiling at those boys, drawing them close to you, eating up their attention..."

"Azula!" Ty Lee wheeled around. "Azula… Those boys… I wasn't… You have to believe me… They didn't mean anything, I swear! Azula!"

"I… I want to believe you…" Azula stared at the ground. "But then there's the Water Tribe peasant…"

"Azula!" Ty Lee rose and hugged Azula. "I was only trying to distract him while… Oh! Oh… Azula, please, I'm so sorry…"

"I will believe you," Azula smiled weakly and kissed Ty Lee. But the words that are so easy to say can be near impossible in practice.

* * *

"No, you miscalculated!" Azula took a firebending stance as Mai drew a dagger. "You should have feared me more!"

Ty Lee bit her lip. It was Mai or Azula; she had to choose one of them. She held back tears as she launched herself at Azula, the princess, princess to all who knew her.

Her princess…

"Come on!" she pulled on Mai's arm as Azula went down. "Let's get out of here!"

It was too late. The guards already surrounded them.

"You're both fools," Azula glared, particularly at Ty Lee.

"What shall we do with them, princess?" one of the guards asked. Ty Lee could barely grasp Azula's verdict:

"Put them somewhere I'll never have to see their faces again. And let them rot."

Years of friendship and love down the drain in a single moment.


End file.
